1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally directed toward cooking tools, and more particularly to basting brushes, pastry brushes and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Basting brushes are used for moistening and/or coating food. The basting medium can be melted butter, meat drippings, sauces, or any other liquid or paste that may add color, flavor, or moisture, or any combination thereof to food.
Depending on the type of basting being done, the bristle design can vary. For example, barbeque basters typically have large bristles for carrying large amounts of thick barbeque sauce, while pastry brushes typically have shorter, thinner bristles for carrying smaller amounts of thin fluids such a butter or icing. A chef often will use more than one type of basting brush.
Basting brushes traditionally used a conventional brush, which is difficult to clean because of numerous fibers positioned in close proximity to one another. Additionally, the brush fibers typically tend to shed during use, deposited on the food being cooked. More recently, basters have been made with silicone brushes to prevent shedding; however, the brush designs often attempt to emulate the structure of conventional brushes, namely, positioning fibers in a parallel and dense configuration. Because silicone does not absorb liquid, however, such brushes typically do not function as well as brushes made with hair.